


Random Encounters

by Sweq



Category: Critical Role (Web Series), Critical Role (Web Series) RPF
Genre: Multi, Not much smut honestly, Smut, no real plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-07 18:24:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10366680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweq/pseuds/Sweq
Summary: Somehow the members of Vox Machina come face to face with their Critical Role counterparts.





	1. Vex/Laura

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Titles will show the pairings, even though I think it will be fairly self-explanatory.

The week's session had run late, as was often the case, and Laura opted out of joining the others for drinks after the game. She had come straight from a double-booked day of VO and mo-cap work, and she was tired. Having driven separately from Travis, she had said her goodnights and made her way to her car.

Upon reaching for the door handle, she felt something shift and heard a clattering sound. She had dropped a bag of dice. "Son of a..." she muttered, and bent down to retrieve them. She straightened and blinked, turning quickly. Everything had changed in the moment she had bent down. The keys were gone. Her car was gone. All the cars, in fact. And it appeared to be noon...in a forest clearing.

"What the fudge?" Laura blinked again, and rubbed her eyes, "Okay, so I am having one crazy dream right now."

A very familiar voice sounded from just beyond the edge of the clearing, "And just who are you talking to, darling. For that matter, who are you?" Laura spun in the direction the voice was coming from. A lithe figure stepped from among the trees, "I was saying goodnight to my friends and suddenly I'm here. Did you have something to do with that?"

Laura looked the woman up and down. They were about the same height, both had dark hair and eyes, in fact Laura felt for a moment like she was looking in some sort of strange mirror, the other woman's face was so familiar.

The two women were dressed completely differently, however. Laura was dressed in a pair of leggings over simple flat shoes, and her Gilmore's Glorious Goods tee-shirt. The other woman was dressed in exotic cloth and leather, and was wearing a bow and arrows over her shoulder. Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid, but it was her pointed ears and trio of blue feathers that caught Laura's attention.

"This is amazing," she said, "If I didn't know I was dreaming, I'd say that was the best Vex cosplay I've ever seen." She tilted her head and looked the other woman up and down, "Such attention to detail."

The other woman arched an eyebrow, "You seem to have me at a disadvantage, darling. And may I just say that I don't think you're dreaming. I know that I'm certainly awake." The woman stepped forward, "My name is Vex, well Vex'ahlia, but I'm afraid I have no idea what 'cosplay' is."

Laura laughed softly, and shook her head, "I have to be dreaming. I was just getting into my car, which has vanished. I was in a city, and now I'm in a freaking forest."

Vex'ahlia nodded slowly, "I had just let Trinket out of my necklace. That's my bear, by the way, he's amazing. Anyway, I'd let him out to roam, and I was bending down to retrieve my broom..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed, "My broom. It's gone. Dammit!"

Laura shook her head, "Okay, this has been a fun dream, but I'm ready to wake up now." She pinched her arm and let out a yelp, "Ouch! That actually hurt. What the hell is going on? This can't be real. You're not real. I made you up."

The Half-Elf blinked and tilted her head slightly, "I may be many things, darling, but I am definitely not made up. I don't know who you are, or why you look like me, but..." She paused and stepped closer to Laura. She reached out and brushed the woman's hair lightly aside, revealing the shape of one ear, "You're like me, but Human."

The actress pulled back, startled, "Of course I'm human, there's no such thing as elves or dragons or anything like that. You're wearing a very nice costume, that's all." She lifted her hand and touched the tip of Vex'ahlia's pointed ear. Then she grabbed it. Then she tugged it. After the Half-Elf's head moved along with the tug, it took a few seconds before Laura gasped. She lowered her hand, and proceeded to faint.

Vex'ahlia caught the woman and lowered her to the ground, muttering under her breath. Kneeling beside the Human, she had a chance to study her. The resemblance really was remarkable. Except for the generally more rounded appearance of the other woman's features, the two could be twins. Well, other twins.

The ranger patted the woman's cheek lightly, "Wake up now, darling. I don't even know your name." After a moment, Laura's eyes opened and she gasped loudly at seeing the Half-Elf once more.

Sitting down on the ground, Vex'ahlia helped Laura sit up, "Feeling better, darling? You don't mind if I call you that, do you? I still don't your name."

The actress blinked softly, "Oh, that's right. I guess you wouldn't. My name is Laura."

Vex'ahlia held out a hand and smiled, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Laura." They shook hands, and the Half-Elf pulled the Human's hand to her lips and lightly kissed the back of it and winked.

Laura tilted her head, and realized she was blushing brightly. She, of all people, had just received a Vex wink. And it had worked. She squared her shoulders and took her hand back, "Yes, well, it is a pleasure to meet you too, though I feel like I already know you."

The Half-Elf chuckled softly, "I don't see how that's possible, unless..." She put her hands on Laura's shoulders and pushed the woman back a bit, "You're wearing Gilmore's symbol. And you know me, or so you say. You even look like me, a bit. With the Elven portions removed. He did something, that wily wizard."

Before Laura could reply, even shake her head, Vex leaned in close and sniffed at her hair. The Half-Elf's fingers stroked the Human's cheek, "You're some sort of enchantment. I don't know how or why. Maybe something my brother cooked up with Gilmore. I have no idea why you'd be called Laura, though. That's a silly name."

Laura opened her mouth to protest, "No, I'm an actress, from..." She got that much out before Vex put a finger over her lips, "Ahh, I see. A seeming then, to make you resemble me. But why? Playing to my narcissistic tendencies?" The ranger smiled, and slid her fingers through the woman's hair, "It has been a while since I've been with a woman, and Percy isn't here."

Blinking, the Human asked, "Wait, what are you thinking? What are you going to do?" Before she could slip away, the Half-Elf's lips were upon her own, firm but gentle.

Vex'ahlia placed one hand at the back of Laura's neck and pulled her close with her other arm sliding down the woman's back. The kiss deepened as Laura could feel teeth brushing her lip.

The actress moaned softly, and as her lips parted, the ranger's tongue began to explore the warmth of her mouth. Laura's eyes fluttered closed, and she found herself clinging to the Half-Elf, and realized that she was kissing back.

Every movement, each light touch, everything that Vex was doing to her felt like the two had been kissing for a lifetime. The Half-Elf seemed to know exactly what Laura wanted, except that part of the woman's brain was telling her that she _didn't_ want this. She was married.

Vex'ahlia's hand had slid under her shirt, fingertips moving across bare skin now, and Laura let out a deeper moan. The kiss continued, and she felt her shirt being tugged upward. Her mind offered a weak protest, but her arms lifted as though of their own accord, and Vex'ahlia soon had removed the garment.

This action had broken the kiss. Laura looked into the ranger's eyes, and gasped, "This is crazy. We can't keep doing this. I'm married. And straight."

Already working at the hooks of the actress's brassiere, Vex shrugged, "I'm neither of those things, darling." She finished removing the last hook, freeing Laura's chest. The Half-Elf tossed the bra aside and placed her hands firmly upon the woman's breasts, squeezing, "Do you really want me to stop?" She winked once more.

Laura moaned and blushed as she found herself arching her back. She shook her head, "No, dammit, but this still feels wrong."

Swiping her thumbs in slow, rough circles over the woman's stiffening nipples, Vex'ahlia leaned in and nipped at Laura's earlobe, "And that's exactly what you love about it." This was definitely a statement, not a question.

Nodding roughly, the actress reached up and took hold of each of Vex's ears, stroking her fingers up toward the points. She pulled the Half-Elf's face to hers and kissed her eagerly, giving in to the feelings that the ranger was stirring in her.

A sudden noise caught their attention. They broke the kiss once again and looked about the clearing. Two shimmering portals had appeared out of thin air. One showed what looked to Laura like the street of a medieval city, and the other held the image of her car, back in the parking lot she'd been in not so very long ago.

Vex'ahlia blinked, "Oh my, I do believe these are our way home. And there's no way to know how long they might remain open."

Laura nodded slowly as she looked at the dark parking lot. She could see her keys still sitting on the asphalt, "Yeah, this might be our only chance. To go home, I mean." She found herself blushing again.

The ranger laughed and nodded. The fingers of one hand stroked through Laura's hair while the other toyed with the chain she wore around her neck, "You have a choice, darling. You can go home, or you could enter my necklace and come back with me. I'll have to find someplace to keep the bear..."

The actress took a deep breath. She looked up into Vex'ahlia's eyes, "I choose..."


	2. Keyleth/Marisha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keyleth finds Marisha in the clearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut in this one. They're awkward and goofy. A kiss at the end, though.

Keyleth let out a satisfied sigh as she looked over her handiwork. The garden was back to being in what she considered an acceptable state. She wiped a bit of dirt from her knees and started to head back into the keep.

Before she could reach the door, however, a sudden wave of dizziness overcame her. She closed her eyes tightly and lifted a hand to her forehead. She took a few steps forward, and it occurred to her that she should have walked into the door. 

Opening her eyes, she did not see a door, but instead found herself standing in the middle of a forest clearing. It appeared to be midday, when it had been late afternoon where she had previously been. She lowered her hand and looked around slowly. Aside from trees and a few scattered leaves on the ground, the only thing she saw was a woman, apparently asleep in the center of the clearing.

As her head began to clear, the Ashari leaned down to see if the woman was alright. She appeared to be Human, with long red hair, dressed in simple loose clothing that left her arms and shoulders bare. She was indeed sound asleep, curled up in the sunlight that shone brightly down.

"Oh, you're very pretty. I hate to bother you, but maybe you know how I got here, or where here is, for that matter," the Druid said as she reached down and lightly touched the woman's shoulder.

The woman didn't stir, so Keyleth shook her a bit more roughly, "Sorry, sorry. Please wake up."

Slowly, the woman opened her eyes, shielding them with her hand, "Huh? Where...?" She looked around and gasped as she saw the Half-Elf. "Woah, who are you and how did you get here? Where am I?"

Keyleth pouted softly, "Drat. I was hoping you would know. I just got here myself."

The woman sat up, and looked the Druid up and down. Leather, green cloth, bits of metal jewelry, tattooed arms, a flower crown, and...antlers? She blinked and held up a thumb, "Dope costume. You look great. But I still don't know where we are."

The Half-Elf blinked, "These are just my clothes. I'm Keyleth, by the way. And you are?"

The Human blinked back, "Um. You're Keyleth and you don't know who I am?"

Keyleth laughed softly and shrugged, "You look a little familiar, kind of like me, a little. But I can't just call you 'pretty lady', can I? Won't you tell me your name?"

Blushing, the woman, glanced down, "You could, if you wanted. But my name is Marisha."

The Ashari nodded, "Marisha. That's a pretty name." She sat down beside the woman, "I just got here, and it seems like maybe you did, too. Are you from Emon or maybe Westruun?" She leaned in closer, and tilted her head a bit, "Say, you really do look like me, don't you?"

Marisha took a good look at the other woman's face, "Well, I...wow, yeah. Okay, that's a little weird. Is this some kind of joke? I was at home asleep. And now you're here, and...are you really Keyleth?"

Keyleth nodded, "Its the only name I've ever had. Why do you ask?"

The actress ran her fingers through her hair and looked at the Half-Elf. Her face lit up as her mouth opened in a wide grin, "This is so dope!"

The Druid blinked, "I have no idea what that means."

Marisha laughed and she nudged the Ashari with her shoulder, "It's a good thing. I just never thought I'd get to really meet you. I knew you were real, but maybe only in my head."

Keyleth shrugged, "That still doesn't make any sense."

Chuckling, Marisha tapped her temple, "I thought that I'd made you up as a character for a game. I play as you, Keyleth of the Air Ashari, seeking her destiny. But I guess I'm just relating your story. Because you're obviously real."

The Druid nodded. She offered a sad smile, "All too real sometimes. But things tend to get better."

"Why did I have to meet you in a forest. We can't go drinking together. I want to meet your friends. I have so many questions." Marisha reached up to lightly touch one of the antlers that adorned Keyleth's circlet. Before she could comment on it, there was a loud popping sound and a pair of portals appeared inside the clearing.

One displayed a garden, which the Half-Elf recognized as her own. The other showed a darkened bedroom, and Marisha nodded, "I knew this wouldn't last. I'm glad I got to meet you. Hey, can I give you a piece of advice?"

Keyleth nodded softly, "Of course, though I'm not sure I will understand it."

Marisha smiled as she helped the Half-Elf to her feet, "Believe in yourself. Your friends really do have confidence in you. They tease you out of love, so don't take that too harshly."

The Druid nodded, "I'll try to remember that. Thank you, Marisha."

The actress eyed her portal, and took the Ashari's hand, "I would love to bring you home. Matt would never believe it." She sighed and shook her head, "Your world needs you." She leaned in closer and planted a kiss on Keyleth's mouth, "Thank you for everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe more to come. This one was more difficult to write.


	3. Percy/Taliesin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taliesin finds himself face to face with someone very familiar.

The two bespectacled men stared at one another in stunned silence for a few heartbeats. Both had suddenly appeared in the center of this clearing after a moment of disorientation. Neither quite knew what to think of the other.

The white-haired young man with the five o'clock shadow was the first to speak. He reached for his hip, then remembered that he had removed his weapons while working on a few designs he hadn't quite been able to figure out yet. He offered a wry smile and began, "Percival Frederickstein Von..."

"...Musel Klossowski de Rolo the Third, yes, I'm quite aware," the other man, wearing tinted sunglasses that he slid up over his lavender-dyed shock of hair. He tilted his head, "And it really is you, isn't it?"

"It was the last time I checked, at any rate. But one can never be too certain. Do I know you, sir? Your manner of dress is unfamiliar, yet you seem to know me," Percy said with a smirk.

The other man shrugged slightly, "You wouldn't be familiar with my work. My name is Taliesin Jaffe. I'm an actor, on occasion. And I know you very well, for reasons that would be very difficult to explain."

"You come from a different plane of existence," the gunslinger stated matter-of-factly.

Taliesin blinked, "Or perhaps not so difficult after all. I won't sell your intelligence short again."

Percy bowed his head, "Education is very... Well, I do believe we would find ourselves in agreement about the importance of a broad education. It is a shame that we appeared in a sylvan glen together instead of a tavern."

Grinning, Taliesin nodded, "Oh, it would be a pleasure to drink with you, Percy. May I call you Percy?"

"All my friends do," the white-haired man replied, "And given out circumstances, I would much rather consider you a friend."

Taliesin blinked and stepped closer to Percy, "I have so many questions. About your designs, about Whitestone, your relationship with your sister, with the twins..."

Percy took a step closer as well, "Indeed. And you should ask those questions. It's not every day that one gets to meet a parallel version of himself. I hadn't really thought much about it before."

Taliesin started to speak, but the slightly taller, thinner man silenced him with a finger over his lips, "Questions can wait for a bit. Now that I am thinking about it, what should one do upon meeting his doppelgänger from another plane?"

The actor blinked slightly and quirked an eyebrow, asking a silent question. Percy removed his finger from Taliesin's lips, "You compare and contrast. Experiment."

Looking about the clearing, the actor could see only trees, and the man before him. He took a half step backwards and started to say something once again.

Taliesin was surprised at the strength in Percy's arms. He had always considered his character as a bit on the frail side. But as those arms wrapped around him and pulled him close, he had little choice but to reassess those thoughts. And then there were lips on his own.

Percy didn't have a lot of experience kissing overall. Mostly it had related to the twins that Taliesin had asked about. The gunslinger thought of Vax, which inevitably led to thoughts of the Half-Elf's sister. Kissing this man wasn't like kissing either of them. But it was pleasant in it's differences, as well as it's similarities.

The actor, for his part, flailed for a moment. Then he realized that Percy was correct. What else does one do upon meeting their extra-dimensional duplicate? It's not like it would go any further than... Was that a hand on his butt?

The white-haired man broke the kiss, but continued to hold onto Taliesin, giving his posterior a squeeze, "You see? Experiments."

Somehow, the actor's tinted glasses had fallen back over his eyes. He nodded, "Yes. Yes, I think I rather do. I could certainly use that drink now. Especially if we are planning on any further experiments."

A portal opened behind each of the men, shimmering softly in midair. Each revealed a way back home for the two, and Percy let out a sigh, "I do hate to leave an experiment unfinished."

Taliesin chewed on his bottom lip, realizing after a moment that he could still taste Percy on it. He closed his eyes, "I could theoretically go with you, but I don't know if I could get back. I would so love to go."

The gunslinger lifted a hand and lightly patted the actor's cheek, "Maybe we can find a way. But these may not last. So thank you for letting me begin the experiment." He grinned and started toward his portal, "It was nice to meet you." And he vanished through it.

Taliesin sighed, "Yes, it was very nice to meet me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These continue to be fun, silly little ideas. I hope that they are at all enjoyable.


	4. Grog & Travis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grog and Travis occupy the same space and almost meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't do any sort of smut in this one. I didn't even try. That would hurt my brain.

Grog looked up from his pile of plates to see that the dining room of Greyskull Keep had somehow turned itself into a circle of trees. When the Goliath looked back down, he discovered that his other plates were gone, but also that he was still holding an entire roast goose. Which was good, because it wasn't chicken. The mansion had given him more than his fill of chicken, though if there were chicken, he would probably eat it.

The other thing in the clearing besides Grog and his goose was a Human. A little bigger than most of the ones he knew, and Grog could think of four Humans he knew right away. Percy and Gilmore. Like Gilmore, this other Human had a beard, but he also seemed to have some muscles. And the Human was holding a strange bag that crinkled.

Travis blinked twice as he took in the scene around him. Not his living room. No couch. No TV. No football. He still had a bag of ranch-flavored corn chips. Also, what the actual fuck was Grog doing here. Because this guy is way too big to be doing cosplay.

Travis watched as the Goliath sat down and took a bite of the bird he was holding. He crunched on bones and all as he ate, open-mouthed. Wearing what must have been the actual Titanstone Knuckles, he wiped his mouth on his bare arm and let out a loud belch.

Unable to help himself, Travis grinned, "Good one." The Goliath smiled broadly and nodded in acceptance of the praise.

"Not my best but an adequa-, adekka-, adkala- It's a start," Grog said with a wide, toothy grin.

Travis nodded, "Damn right. So, just a thought, no big deal, but do you know where we are?" He popped a chip into his mouth and chewed as he awaited a response.

Grog shrugged and bit into the goose again, "No idea." He chewed noisily and smacked his lips.

Travis nodded and adjusted his cap atop his head. He was pretty sure he was going to miss the game now, "So you're just going to eat? You're not worried or anything?"

The Goliath ripped a wing off the bird and gestured at the trees surrounding them, "Nowhere to go. Not gonna let the goose go to waste, am I?" He popped the entire wing into his mouth as if to prove his point.

The actor took out another chip and bit into it, "Fair enough." The two ate in relative silence for a time, with crunching and chewing sounds the only noise to be heard.

After a time, a pair of shimmering portals appeared. Travis looked through one, and saw his living room. Grog glanced at the other, and could see the dining room he had been in earlier.

The Goliath pointed to the bag of chips, "Hey, you gonna finish those?" Travis stood up and handed the bag over, "Knock yourself out. Nice hanging out with you, big guy."

Travis vanished through his portal. Grog shrugged as he dumped the bag of chips into his mouth, "I wonder who that was?"


	5. Taryon Darrington and Sam Riegel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam arrives late for possibly the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost went smutty with this one. I tried, might have to save that one.

Sam Riegel was running late. This, in and of itself, was nothing new. His work schedule as a voiceover artist and voice director often made him late to things that he enjoyed outside of work. There was something a bit different on this particular day, however.

Mere moments ago, Sam had been knocking on the door to the Nerdist offices, having texted his friends that he had arrived and just needed to be let in. Then he had dropped his phone. He bent down to retrieve it from the sidewalk, only to discover that he had also somehow misplaced the concrete surface.

There was no sign of his phone, only grass and a few errant leaves. He slowly lifted his head and looked around. Trees completely surrounded a roughly circular area of maybe thirty or forty feet in diameter. Sam also discovered that he was not alone.

There, no more than ten or fifteen feet away was a blond man dressed in shimmering rose gold armor, set with a ludicrous amount of gemstones. The man seemed to be in a panicked state, looking about and shouting. He seemed to be calling for Doty.

Sam laughed and shook his head. Another late arrival on a Thursday night had finally sent him over the edge. That was the only explanation.

Then the armored man spotted him and things went from mildly strange to incredibly bizarre. "You there," the man called out, as though there were more than two people in the clearing, "the one whose garment bears his own likeness. Have you seen an eight foot tall mechanical man?"

"Isn't Doty eight-and-a-half feet tall?" Sam asked. The man grabbed his shoulders, pulling the actor in close.

"So you have seen him," the man cried out. "Where? I'm so lost and alone without my Doty!" Tears began welling up in the man's eyes.

Sam shook his head, "No, I... Listen, you're not Tary. There is no Tary. He's just a character I made up."

"Oh, you're so right," Tary wailed. "There is no Taryon Darrington without his faithful companion and biographer Doty. Don't you see?" He began shaking Sam by the shoulders.

Sam's head rolled back and forth until he was able to lash out and smack Tary sharply on the cheek, "Get ahold of yourself. Doty isn't here. There's no one here but us. Well, me, technically. You're just a character in my game."

Tary nodded enthusiastically, "Oh, indeed! Life is just a cruel game, and we but the players. Dammit. I am saying some quality stuff here and there's no Doty to take it down."

"Actually, that was pretty good. But we're kind of trapped here. We have to figure out how to escape," Sam said pointedly.

The alchemist held a hand to his heart, "No escape save for Death's sweet caress. The Raven Queen will have her day, just as the little elf boy said."

The actor rolled his eyes, "What have I created? You need to get it together, man. We got in here, there has to be a way back out. Do you know how you got here?" 

Just as Tary was about to answer, two shining portals appeared near the two men. Sam could see what appeared to be the streets of Whitestone through one of the portals, much as he had imagined the city. It was easy to identify due to the lack of berets.

The other gate or whatever it was showed him the door to Nerdist HQ, where Sam had been about to enter. "The hell with it," he said and stepped through. Once back on the other side, he saw that the portal had vanished.

"Maybe I should try a little harder to be on time."


	6. Liam & Vax'ildan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam encounters a shadowy figure that seems all too familiar.

Preparing an adventure for children was comparatively no more difficult than preparing a one shot adventure for his friends. There was just a difference in scale of audience. Thousands upon thousands of live viewers on the internet followed by who knows how many on demand views. No pressure.

Luckily there weren't any immediate plans for Liam to run such a game. But there might be a call at some point, so the voice actor figured he would go ahead and get something ready for when the time came. He hadn't written much yet, and decided to grab one of the game manuals for inspiration.

He reached for the book up on the shelf, and fumbled it a bit. It fell from his hand and he bent to retrieve it. But there was no book, no shelves either. Just grass, and clean air, and a circle of trees. And a hint of movement in the corner of his vision. That must have been a shadow.

Liam realized after a moment that there hadn't been anyone or anything but himself to cast a shadow. He looked around the circle of trees twice, but still saw nothing. Then a deep voice, somehow familiar, called out, "Stand where you are. Do you know where we are, or how we got here?"

The actor shook his head, "No idea, on either count. I was at home, trying to write. And now I'm here. What about you?"

There was a shuffle of movement, and suddenly a black-clad man with delicately pointed ears stood in front of Liam, one hand lightly resting on the hilt of a dagger. At first, Liam thought it was the most amazing cosplay he'd seen, everything was so accurate, down to the black feathers across his shoulders. His nose crinkled as he realized that the man did give off just the barest hint of a charnel scent.

The Half-Elf smiled faintly, "I don't know. And I can't reach my friends." He held a finger to the earring he wore and shrugged slightly. "It would appear that we're trapped here, you and I. I am Vax'ildan. You don't happen to have any particular skills or talents, do you?"

Liam laughed and scratched the back of his head, "Nothing that would help in this situation. I'm an actor, so I only pretend to deal with this sort of thing. It is amazing to meet you, I never thought I would, actually. But you really are you."

Vax blinked and tilted his head slightly, "Who else would I be?"

The actor smiled, "Well for years, I thought you were me. And yes, I know that doesn't make any sense."

The rogue frowned, "It doesn't. But I suppose we can't worry about that now. It seems like we're stuck here for now."

Liam looked up at the clear sky above the trees, "Have you tried flying up and over?"

Vax looked back at the wall of trees, "They just seem to go on forever in the largest forest I've ever..." He turned back to the actor, and drew a pair of daggers from his belt, "How did you know I could fly?"

"Because I've been playing as you, pretending to be you for years, man. I thought I had made you up" the actor said earnestly.

The Half-Elf lowered the blades, but did not return them to his belt, "That is seriously fucked up. Why would anyone want to pretend to live my life?"

Liam smiled tightly, "You're a hero, whether you realize it or not. You are so cool. Better than me at my best at what I can do, and able to do all sorts of things I never will. Like fly, or save the ducking day. Getting to be you is amazing."

Vax'ildan frowned, "You're only pretending. You don't have to experience the worst of it. The pain, knowing that no matter how much you can do that in the end there will come a time when it won't be enough."

Nodding, the actor stepped closer, "I am sorry. I do get to walk away, but I feel the highs and the lows, every time. I've watched you rise and fall for your sister, for your lovers, for your friends. They all believe in you, and so do I."

"You have to remember," Liam continued, "you're not alone. Not ever." 

The rogue eyes the human warily as he approached, "Yeah, I know that. I'm nothing without my family. My real family."

Liam grinned broadly, "Exactly. That's one thing we've got in common, at least. We are both lucky enough to have friends that understand us, even if we don't think we deserve them."

Vax'ildan nodded, finally returning the daggers to his belt, "I can agree with that, at least. It still seems as though there's no way out of this place, though. None that I can see."

The moment that the Half-Elf finished speaking a pair of shimmering portals appeared, one revealing a dimly-lit alleyway in Emon, or at least that's where Liam guessed it to be. The other showed an image of the bookshelf he'd been perusing just a few minutes earlier.

He rogue frowned, "And I am wrong again."

Liam grinned, "Go be a hero." He stepped into the portal that showed his home and vanished in a swirling shimmer of light.

Vax'ildan shook his head, "I still can't imagine why anyone would _want_ to be me. By the Nine Hells, _I_ don't want to be me half the damn time." Giant raven's wings unfurled from his armor and he flew into the portal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the way that Liam plays Vax'ildan, and this will hopefully provide Vax a moment of clarity to realize that he can be a hero without making himself a martyr.


	7. Pike & Ashley Johnson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pike meets the woman of her dreams. Literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is different. Hopefully good different. Also, if you found this through Blindspot fandom, I apologize, it's just this chapter because Ashley.

Pike Trickfoot sighed in satisfaction as she looked over her handiwork. Life wasn't all about adventure and facing insurmountable danger at every turn, after all. Sometimes just getting a house in order was all one needed. Especially if that house was Greyskull Keep.

It didn't really bother her that the rest of her friends, family really, were who in the Nine Hells knew where. She had long ago accepted that she would not always be able to join them. Usually her work repairing and rebuilding temples to Sarenrae kept her busy and quite fulfilled.

But for now, all the Gnome cleric wanted was for her friends to come home safely to bedrooms with fresh linens, a kitchen stocked with dishes, mugs and enough cutlery to go around. Times had been tough when Thordak took over the city, and looters had gotten some of their nicer things. Pike couldn't be upset. They would have donated to the needy anyway. Though maybe Vex wouldn't have surrendered the finest silverware.

She let out another content sigh as she looked at Grog's room. Her buddy probably wouldn't even notice the new fur-lined comforter when he collapsed onto the big, reinforced bed. But it would still be worth it. She smiled and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was somewhere else.

~~~~~

Ashley Johnson made her way from baggage claim to the exit of the airport with little difficulty. She stepped outside and took a deep breath. California air always seemed to taste different than New York air, she thought. Not better or worse, but different. It felt like home, and that was what mattered.

She set one of her bags down and fumbled for her phone, thumbing open her ride app. No sign of her driver. It would be worth the wait to get home almost two hours early.

She set all of her stuff down for just a moment, and closed her eyes. She took another deep breath, and smelled... pine? Was it some kind of floor cleaner? No, she was outside. It was even warmer all of a sudden, but there was a gentle breeze.

She opened her eyes slowly. Trees everywhere. Grass under her feet. No bags, no airport. She checked the phone in her hand. No signal.

The only thing there was in the clearing was... Nope. Not possible. No way.

~~~~~

"Nope, no way," Pike said in quietly, "You can't be real. I must have fallen asleep or something."

Ashley shook her head, blinking, "I was gonna say the same thing about you. Wait, how come I can't be real?"

The Gnome shrugged, "Because you're just a dream. A recurring dream, especially when I can't be with my friends. But you're just a story in my head. There isn't really a Patterson."

The actress did a double take, nearly dropping her phone in surprise, "What? Who? No, wait a minute. How do you know who Patterson is?"

Pike shrugged, "Like I said, I dreamed you up. A smart Human with stealthy friends that always have her back. It helps me get through the times I can't be with my friends. Like right now."

Ashley blinked and she sat down on the grass, "So, let me get this straight. You're Pike, right? The real Pike?"

The Gnome nodded, "Obviously."

The Human nodded as well, "Obviously. And I'm Partterson, who is just a dream. So who is Ashley?"

Pike shrugged her shoulders and sat down beside the actress, "No idea. I don't know anyone named Ashley. But it's okay. You're a great dream. Exciting. Pretty, too."

Ashley found herself blushing, "Well, thank you for that. It almost makes up for not being real. I didn't think I was a dream."

The cleric smiled, "How else would you have known my name, Patterson? Unless I was included somewhere on the tattooed lady. In the dream you think you're me sometimes. I love that part."

Ashley's blush deepened, "Yeah, that's my favorite part, too."

The Gnome smiled and scooted closer to Ashley, "It can't be that bad, being a dream. It must be nice. So you just come here when no one is dreaming about you?"

The actress blinked and shrugged, "I guess so? I don't think I've ever been here before. And I was pretty sure my name was Ashley."

Pike giggled and shook her head, "No, it's definitely Patterson." She patted the woman's knee gently, "But it's fine. Everybody likes Patterson."

Ashley smiled, "Well that's good to know. I think everyone likes Pike, too. At least that's what I hear. From the other dream people. You know."

The Gnome nodded sagely, "I certainly do. I'm glad that you're my dream person, Patterson. I've never really gotten to talk to you like this. I just watch you, or sometimes it feels like I am you, if that makes any sense."

With a soft chuckle, Ashley tilted her head, "You have no idea how much sense that makes. I feel like I'm all kinds of different people all the time. But if I'm going to be someone's dream person, then I'm definitely glad it gets to be you. So thank you, Pike."

The cleric rose high enough to bow, then blinked as two shimmering portals appeared in midair. She looked through one and saw the interior of Grog's bedroom. The other looked similar to a scene from out of her dreams, with strange stone streets and metal coaches that roared as they rolled along on their own.

"I guess it's time to wake up, Patterson," the Gnome said before hopping through her portal with a grin and a wave.

Ashley laughed softly and saw her bags on the other side of the remaining portal. Before she stepped through it she laughed softly to herself, "Sweet dreams, Pike."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a strangely organic chapter to write. It just sort of told itself to me and I typed. I hope it's acceptable. I love Pike the most.


	8. Matthew Mercer & All The NPCs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew finds himself before a crowd in the forest clearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the last chapter!

Matthew Mercer had no real idea where he suddenly found himself. There were trees all around, and short grass underneath his feet. But the more surprising thing was the crowd of people.

Dozens, scores. And not just people. All manner of beings, with a variety of physical forms. There were Humans, Elves, Dwarves, a Halfling or two, and even stranger things. A Mind Flayer, a Beholder, at least half a dozen Dragons.

The actor just stood, gaping at the collected creatures for a long moment. And they stared back. Until, at last, one man stepped forward. Matthew recognized him immediately. Dark hair, olive skin, a penchant for the color purple, and a particularly grandiose manner.

The Dungeon Master asked quietly, "Gilmore?"

The man laughed and crossed his arms, waving one hand dismissively, "Well, of course. Who else could be the spokesman for this rabble?" He nodded his head in the direction of the crowd behind him.

Matthew nodded, "I'll admit, it makes the most sense to me. I'm glad you didn't pick Victor."

A shrill voice piped up from the rear of the throng, "I heard that!"

Gilmore laughed softly, "That aside, we did have a reason for bringing you here."

The actor smiled warily as he looked at the assembled beings, both fair and foul, "Oh, and just what might that be?"

The purple-clad sorcerer smiled broadly, spreading his hands wide, "To thank you, my friend."

"Why for breathing life into us, of course. For giving us hopes and dreams," Gilmore said.

Allura and Kima stepped forward, "For telling at least a little bit of a love story."

The crowd parted around Lord and Lady Briarwood, "For letting us be bad."

Cassandra cast a glance at the Briarwoods before smiling at Matthew, "For letting us be redeemed."

Shaun Gilmore spoke once again, "Thank you for bringing us on your amazing adventures."

The Dungeon Master shrugged, "You're... welcome?"

Slowly, the crowd started to disappear, in ones and twos, huge forms vanishing, smaller bodies winking away. At last Matthew was left alone in the clearing with Jarett Howarth, "Thank you for sharing us." Then he too disappeared.

Left alone in a vast forest clearing, Matthew smiled, "It all makes sense. It must be Thursday."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish I had time to find a reason for every individual NPC to show their gratitude to Matt Mercer. He deserves it! 
> 
> Also, there will be chapters for at least some of the guest players, and I haven't forgotten Orion.


	9. Zahra/Mary Elizabeth McGlynn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary Elizabeth McGlynn suddenly appears in a forest clearing and encounters Zahra the Tiefling Warlock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate how short these chapters wind up. Hopefully this is enjoyable. I really like writing Zahra!

Mary Elizabeth McGlynn blinked several times in mild disbelief. When the forest scene surrounding her didn't replace itself with the office hallway she had just been walking through she frowned, "Okay, did I fall and hit my head or something?"

A voice from somewhere behind her, cultured and not quite condescending, took her by surprise, "You appear to be uninjured. Though I certainly haven't checked everywhere."

It sounded so familiar. She could almost place it. Maybe one of the characters she had worked with in a game or anime. She tapped her chin, "Laura? Is that you?" Then she turned and gasped, taken by surprise at the sight.

Three thoughts battled in her mind to see which would be the first impression of the tall, slim, red-skinned, white-haired, horned woman she saw. Demon. Tiefling. Zahra?

The woman stepped forward, long spaded tail lashing behind her. She walked with the aid of a long metal staff that Mary Elizabeth recognized immediately. This could only be Zahra Hydris. And that was absolutely impossible.

The Tiefling spoke again, "I apologize for not being Laura. And again if I have frightened you. I do tend to cause that reaction."

The actress shook her head, "No, no, it's alright. I'm not afraid. Not now. It's just that I can't believe you're..." She blinked, "I did hit my head. That must be it. You're not real, Zahra."

The warlock laughed softly and closed the distance between them. She lifted her hand and lightly stroked the Human woman's hair, "I am all too real, my dear. And as I said, you do not seem to be injured."

This close, the Tiefling woman could indeed be seen to be real. The horns jutted out and swept back gracefully, and the soft glow of Zahra's eyes could not be simulated. Mary Elizabeth took a shuddering breath, "But how?"

The warlock smiled and thrust the tip of her staff into the ground. It stood there beside her, leaving both hands free to gently caress the actress's cheeks, tracing the shape of her face.

"Does the how truly matter, my lovely? We are here together now, with no one and nothing else but one another," Zahra said, matter-of-factly. Her hands were so warm, and surprisingly soft.

Mary Elizabeth gasped softly, "No, it doesn't matter, but... What are you doing?"

Zahra grinned, revealing sharp pointed teeth, "Why, what does one do when she finds herself alone in a forest with a beautiful maiden?" Her hands moved slowly downward, fingertips tracing over the actress's chin, her jaw, the nape of her neck, "I am getting to know you."

The actress closed her eyes, and let out a sound somewhere in between a moan and a purr. "You should probably know that I'm married," she said in a soft voice, "to a man."

The Tiefling's right hand gripped at the back of Mary Elizabeth's neck, and she pulled forward until their lips met. Her voice projected into the Human's mind as the kiss deepened, "You should probably know that I don't care, lovely."

The actress's gasp was taken as an invitation by the warlock, whose left hand slid down to rest comfortably at the woman's hip. Her forked tongue slipped into the other woman's mouth, exploring and tasting.

Mary Elizabeth lifted her hands, unsure if she should be pushing the Tiefling away, or clinging tightly. Before she could decide, Zahra pulled away, "You're so timid. It's adorable. I could just eat you up."

The Human slowly opened her eyes, "I still think I must have hit my head. But if I did, this hallucination is worth it."

Zahra laughed softly, "Flattery is always appreciated, my lovely. Hmm, perhaps we should try to find a way out of this place before I do have to consider eating you. For survival's sake, of course.

Mary Elizabeth nodded slowly, "Yes, well, I doubt I'd be tasty without the right spices." She took in the circle of trees that surrounded them. There did not seem to be a gap large enough for the women anywhere.

"Perhaps just a taste then," the warlock said as she licked her lips. As she spoke, two glowing portals suddenly appeared near the center of the clearing. One showed the hallway Mary Elizabeth recalled having just been in, the other what appeared to be a torchlit library.

"Just when things were getting interesting," Mary Elizabeth said with a hint of a blush coloring her cheeks.

Zahra nodded, "Indeed. It is tempting to stay for that taste, but we do not know how long these portals will remain open." She placed a hand gently on the Human's cheek, "Go. I am certain I will see you in my dreams, lovely." And with that, she vanished into the library gateway.

"Her dreams? She has no idea," Mary Elizabeth said as she took a deep breath before returning to her own reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and critiques always appreciated. Thank you for coming along on this strange journey with me.


End file.
